Archive for 2015
New Year’s Eve Cheeseboard
A cheeseboard is the perfect thing to help kick-off a party. As a diversified work of art, it’s not only a collection of tasty nibbles for wine pairings, but also…
Keep ReadingJoy
May the joy you feel as you relish the goodies, decorate every nook and corner of your home, and enjoy the get-togethers with friends and family continue throughout the new…
Keep ReadingBusy Sidewalks
Christmas in Connecticut would not be Christmas without a trip into New York City. Having lived in Fairfield County for most of my life, I’ve been grateful for it’s proximity,…
Keep ReadingGo Local
My dear friend Dana and I, love serving wines from local vineyards. For Dana it’s wines from New Hampshire and Maine, and for me, it’s Connecticut and New York. Local…
Keep Reading#AllSprucedUp Design Challenge
When my new Instagram friend Jessica, reached out to me to participate in this fun holiday design challenge on Instagram, I wasn’t sure what to expect. So when the theme…
Keep ReadingSnip And Tuck
It’s amazing what you can do with just a few leftover sprigs of greenery that’ve been tied up with pretty ribbon. A little bit of green can bring a lot…
Keep ReadingBalsam Chandeliers
Every year, I deck out my chandeliers for Christmas with big boughs of freshly cut balsam. Armed with my trusty Felco pruning shears, I head out to the back woods…
Keep ReadingWe Choose Love
As Christmas approaches, we here in Newtown, Connecticut, must sadly pause today to acknowledge the heartbreaking events that took place 3 years ago in our backyard: the tragedy that has…
Keep ReadingNantucket Inspired Gallery
When I’m developing a theme, I always keep an eye out for inspiration in unexpected places and things. It not only keeps me focused, but also provides a cohesive end…
Keep ReadingA Gift From The Sea
A simple idea, that’s so easy to do! In keeping with the ocean/Nantucket theme, think of sea salt. I have a pair of very large rosemary plants that are always…
Keep ReadingOur Holiday Gift To You!
In keeping with the Nantucket themed Christmas at Connecticut Country House this year, we created beautiful nautical gift tags. Inspired by 19th c. engravings rendered in a wonderfully inky indigo,…
Keep ReadingHoliday Mantelpieces
Fireplace mantels are one of the best spots to decorate for the holidays. The hearth, the heart of the home, is the perfect focal point of any country house. This…
Keep ReadingSeeing Stars
I love the fun you can have with dessert plates. Not just for presenting sweets, these little guys are the perfect size for serving up savory sandwiches or pre-dinner nibbles.…
Keep ReadingDana’s Rosemary Roasted Party Pecans
‘Tis the season for entertaining. Whether you’re going somewhere, or hosting, this wonderful recipe from my friend Dana Shwartz, featured in our Holiday 2014 issue – https://noramurphycountryhouse.com/magazine/holiday-2014/ – is absolutely…
Keep ReadingThe Relaxed Table
I love the relaxed attitude and generous size of these kitchen towels! I pulled together a collection of crisp, striped kitchen towels (from Homegoods) to substitute for the expected cloth napkin.…
Keep ReadingAct Now While Supplies Last!
Black Friday came and went as I stayed home, cozied up with family. I sailed through Small Business Saturday and survived Cyber Monday without a trace of a blister on…
Keep ReadingThanksgiving Leftovers
Thanksgiving dinner is always pretty amazing, but, I have to say, the leftovers from the feast are just as highly anticipated. The same goes for recycling the floral elements from…
Keep ReadingGetting ready and giving thanks
The table’s all set, the turkey’s in the oven, and it’s time to get busy on all the fixin’s! I just love this day. Wishing you and yours a wonderfully…
Keep ReadingHallelujah!
Our Holiday issue is here (Yay!!) — www.noramurphycountryhouse.com is the start of something wonderful! Holiday 2015 is a whole new look for us and a whole new experience for you. It’s our…
Keep Reading‘Holiday’ is almost here!
Our newest and biggest Nora Murphy Country House issue is here tomorrow! This new Holiday issue is loaded with inspiration, tips, and pages of the NMCH photography you’ve told us…
Keep ReadingBittersweet
“Here and there one sees the blush of wild rose haws or the warmth of orange fruit on the bittersweet, and back in the woods is the occasional twinkle of…
Keep ReadingAunt Mame’s Pineapple Lime Cranberry Sauce
While shooting at Trent DeBerry and Collin Robison’s beautiful home for the Autumn 2015 issue of Nora Murphy Country House, https://noramurphycountryhouse.com/magazine/autumn-2015/country-house-style/#.VkSqiaQzTtA, we got to talking about two of our shared…
Keep ReadingMy Favorite Mash
I realize I’m scooping my weekly Foodie Friday, but with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I figured you wouldn’t mind if I sprinkled in a few of my faves –…
Keep ReadingParis, je t’aime
“Paris is the city in which one loves to live. Sometimes I think this is because it is the only city in the world where you can step out of…
Keep ReadingPaperwhites For Christmas
Decorating for Christmas wouldn’t be the same at Connecticut Country House without containers full of fragrant, blooming paperwhites. It takes about 4 to 5 weeks for these papery beauties to…
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